The Baxter and Irma Affair
by WogglebugLover-AvengingAtheist
Summary: After the war has ended, all seems right with the world. Baxter and Irma's relationship is progressing well. Then one of Irma's former boyfriends unexpectedly shows up and trouble brews.
1. Chapter 1

"Cowabunga!" Michelangelo whooped out as he did a double back flip. His legs shot out but his opponent was ready and caught them and turned him over onto his shell.

"Alright! That was totally awesome, dude!" Michelangelo said as he gave his student a high five.

The other Turtles, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael were also in the process of training young people in the martial art of ninjitsu. Ever since the Shredder had met his demise and most of his followers been defeated the Turtles had received their citizenship, had moved out of the sewers and into an apartment near to their friend April O' Neil's, and had started their own martial arts classes as many young people in the city of New York admired them and wanted to learn their ninja skills for themselves. The Turtles sensei, Master Splinter had thought it good that as many young people as possible learn the skills he had taught the Turtles as he knew there would always be more trouble ahead, even with the worst of it gone.

Once class was over for the day the students were dismissed and the Turtles returned home to their apartment where they all sat around the couch with pizza and watched the Channel Six News with April O'Neil who had now become the station's star news anchor.

When April's image appeared on screen she spoke into her microphone. "This is April O' Neil for Happy Hour News. I'm here at the Science and Service Utility Lab with Dr.'s Barney and Baxter Stockman. These two brothers have made their grand comeback in the world of science by teaming up with each other and now they are working together on a major breakthrough in the scientific world."

April turned as the camera focused on Baxter Stockman. "Mr. Stockman, can you give us a heads up on you and your brother's latest project?"

"I'd be delighted to, April," said Baxter with enthusiasm. "We are at Stockman Industries are now bringing science fiction to science fact. We are working to create an all new kind of automaton which we have given the name Servo to. A Servo is basically an all new advanced kind of robot that can do things in and around the house much faster than any of us can A Servo is basically a cross between various indoor and outdoor household appliances and a robotic servant."

"And what sort of things can these Servos do exactly, Baxter?" asked April curiously.

"Well, not to give away everything as there is still much testing going on," replied Baxter in a tone of pride. "Some of things a Servo can do is clean the floor by turning its feet into a vacuum It also has hands like pots that can brew things like coffee and tea. It also can mow the lawn by turning its feet into shears. It also can disinfect your home with its own special kind of cleaning fluid which we've invented and installed into it which it sprays out at the given command with its fingertips. That is about all I can say for now."

"Do you have any idea of when these brilliant new robots will be available for use?" asked April with eagerness.

"Well, my brother and I are hoping for around Christmastime right now," replied Baxter.

"Excellent," said April, then turning back to the camera she concluded the interview. "This is April O' Neil at Channel Six News."

"Whoa! Those Servo things sound mondo awesome!" said Michelangelo "We should get one when they come out."

"Baxter sure has come a long way from being a weak minded professor to a brilliant minded scientist," added Donatello. "When he was working with Shredder I never would have thought it could happen in a million years."

"I also heard from April that he and Irma have been dating," said Leonardo. "And you know Irma was looking for Mr. Right for a long time. So do you think she may have finally found him?"

"Only time will tell," said Raphael.

* * *

April and Irma were sitting in April's kitchen enjoying a pizza lunch together and catching up the latest events of each other.

"So, do you have another date with Baxter tonight?" asked April.

"Oh yeah," said Irma in a dreamy voice. "I think he's really starting to fall for me."

"Well, good for you," said April sardonically.

"Well, aren't you happy for us?" asked Irma a bit annoyed.

"It's just that you've said that you'd found your Mr. Right so many times before, and something always seemed to end up happening that proved it to be wrong," April explained matter-of-factually

"Well, those were just mistakes which could have happened to anybody," replied Irma. "Besides, Baxter is so different from all the others. I mean, he's always kind and gentle and understanding. He laughs at my jokes, he cries during sad parts of movies, and not to mention he's got a brilliant mind that may one day change the world as we know it."

April smiled. "Well, those are qualities to be valued. And having interviewed him today I can attest to the last one."

* * *

In their lab, Baxter and Barney were at work trying to see what could be improved about their Servos.

"Hmm... Yes, I think we should include more bolts in the heads of them if their to always tell the right time," Barney said as he made a checklist.

"Speaking of time," said Baxter, "I probably should be going soon so as not to be late for my date with Irma."

Barney gave his brother a coy look. "Are you in love with Irma?"

Baxter looked suddenly uncomfortable. "What makes you think so?"

"Well, just that you've been talking about her a lot lately, and when you do I see this odd dreamy look appear in your eyes that I never saw before, and not to mention you don't mind getting off of work early just to spend time with her which wasn't how I used to know you. You've really changed, Bax."

"Well, of course I have," said Baxter. "Don't you think that turning into a mutant fly for seven years and then being turned back into a human would be a life altering experience for anyone?"

"Yeah, of course. I'm sorry, Bax," said Barney. He knew Baxter usually preferred not to mention about how he had spent years fly. "But why is it Irma is all I'm asking."

"Well...she was the most understanding above all others of what going through such trying times has been like for me and she made me feel like I could really succeed at anything I wanted to do if I just did my best," explained Baxter. "Also, she does have qualities I find attractive. She's charming, quirky, smart, and a bit of a romantic dreamer."

"Hmm... Well, I've never been in love," admitted Barney. "I just never found the one for me. I just never understood the science of love I suppose."

"Love is not a science," said Baxter, realizing it just now himself. "It is more of an art. Like a painting or a tapestry it doesn't have to make sense it just needs to have a positive feel to it... and that is just how I feel for Irma."

* * *

That night Baxter and Irma went out to a night club where they danced in a dreamlike waltz on the floor as the song You Are My Life by the pop singer Michael Jackson played.

After this they sat at a table drinking fine champagne and talked.

"I can't believe I actually just danced to a song and a waltz and I enjoyed it!" said Baxter in awe of himself. "I always used to nervous to dance because I always thought myself too clumsy to do it as that was what everyone thought of me. It was for that reason I missed my senior high school prom and stayed home studying."

"Funny you should mention it," said Irma thoughtfully. "I also missed out on my prom because no one who I was interested in had asked me to it. I guess maybe that was one of the reasons why I've always been looking for someone who would adore me like I adored him. And I never thought when he came he would be a scientist."

She looked adoringly at Baxter and he returned the look.

When Baxter took Irma home that night he said, "I had a most delightful time. Could we do this again this Friday?"

"Sure," Irma said smiling. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, there is a new exhibit at the Museum of Natural Science and History now and I think you might be interested in it along with me."

"Of course," said Irma. She then leaned in and kissed him tenderly on his cheek.


	2. Chapter 2

A few days later, Baxter was at Irma's apartment sitting across from her at the kitchen table as they were having coffee together.

"My, you sure do like sugar, don't you?" said Irma as she observed he had just mixed in two lumps and was now adding another.

Baxter chuckled faintly. "I suppose it's just the side effects of being a fly for so long still lingering within me," he said. "Or, maybe it's just that this sugar reminds me of you."

Irma blushed as she giggled. Baxter also blushed slightly, and then to ease it he changed the subject.

"So... What movie would you like to go see next time?"

"Hmm," said Irma pondering. "We saw _The Sixth Sense_ last week, right? And we still haven't seen _The Matrix_, or _The Mummy_, or _Runaway Bride_. Gee, this is a tough decision to have to make.

Baxter had been sipping his coffee as she was speaking and now he was about to give her a reply, when suddenly the door buzzer on her apartment door sounded to announce someone else had just arrived at it.

"Now who could that be?" asked Baxter curiously.

"I don't know," said Irma. "I wasn't expecting anyone else today."

She then got up and went over to the door and pressed a button to allow the person behind it to enter. Then when the door opened her eyes went wide with the great surprise of seeing someone who she had thought for years she was never going to see again.

Standing right in front of her was none other than Roscoe Rodman. He was an old boyfriend of hers. In fact, he had been one of the first men she had tried to have a serious relationship with. They had dated steadily for almost six months and then one day Roscoe had gotten transferred and had to move out of state. So then they both had decided it was for the best they call their relationship off and just be friends should they ever be able to contact each other again. Since then Irma had tried to forget about Roscoe and to move on with her life and find someone else to go steady with. Now it seemed like she had found that someone in Baxter Stockman. But would Roscoe take this news lightly and with understanding?

She let out a short soft gasp and Roscoe's brown eyes gleamed and a dashing grin formed on his face.

"Hello, Irma," he said smoothly. "I trust you remember me?"

"Oh! Um... R-Roscoe! Roscoe Rodman!" she said with an uneasy stammer. "Of course I remember you! You look like you haven't changed a bit! But what brings you here though?"

Roscoe's grin widened immensely. "I got laid off of work back in Pennsylvania," he announced with an air of triumph. "So I decided I'd move back here and look for a new job."

"Oh. But why here?" asked Irma.

"Why, so I could be close to you again, of course!" Roscoe exclaimed. "You didn't think I'd ever forget you, did you?"

"Oh...no!" said Irma more than a little nervously. "I just thought what we had between was gone, ancient history, and that we're just friends now."

"Well, of course that's over with," Roscoe assured her. "And of course we're friends now. I wouldn't have come here if we weren't. I just thought I'd stop by to catch up on old times with you and ask you how you've been doing all these years."

"Oh. Well, these past years have been quite an adventure for me!" Irma said enthusiastically. "Though to tell you everything right now here would take much too long. So right now I'll just mention that after you left I went into and out of many, many relationships with other men, and now at last I believe I have found the right one for me to go steady with in a committed relationship."

Roscoe slowly stopped smiling as she had been speaking. Now his eyes looked her over slowly and saw that she was quite sincere in her words. Then he cleared his throat deeply and said, "Oh! Well, isn't that wonderful now! And who is the lucky fellow might I ask?"

"His name is Baxter Stockman and he is a scientist working at Stockman Industries with his brother Barney. They're both real geniuses and are working on some new things that will change the world!" Irma said with much enthusiasm.

Roscoe smiled thinly with interest. "Oh my! Now that is indeed a good find for a long committed relationship! As a matter of fact, I think I might like to meet with this Baxter fellow myself some time if possible."

"Well, you can right now if you like," said Irma eagerly. "He's here right now in the kitchen having coffee."

"Marvelous!" said Roscoe.

"Baxter!" Irma called. "There is an old friend of mine here who wants to meet you!"

Moments later Baxter entered the living room and met with Roscoe. Roscoe was a tall and very muscularly built man with shiny sleek jet black hair that was in a thick tuft on his forehead and a matching thin neatly curved black mustache. He was wearing a checkered sports coat and a purple vest over a white shirt and matching checkered trousers and shiny black leather shoes.

"Hello there," Baxter said very pleasantly. "I'm Baxter Stockman of Stockman Industries." He extended his hand out to Roscoe in a friendly gesture. "So you're an old friend of Irma's?"

Roscoe took Baxter's hand and shook it with a firmness that was almost shocking as he replied, "Yes, indeed I am. I am Roscoe Rodman. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Stockman. For if you are a friend of Irma's you must also be a friend of mine."

"Oh, well, I'm a bit more than just a friend, if I may say so," said Baxter with a sideways glance at Irma who smiled and nodded. "We have been going out with each other for quite a few months now," he continued with confidence.

"Ah! Well, you're still a friend of mine by all means," said Roscoe with a hearty chuckle.

"So, Roscoe, what is it you do? What is your profession, I mean?" asked Baxter.

"Ah, well, I was a much promising businessman for years, although now I think I may seek my status elsewhere," said Roscoe. "I also have always been quite an athlete as you may well have noticed. But enough about me. I'd like to learn more about you and what you do. You are in the field of science, right? So, what is your current project?"

"Ah, well, me and my brother have lately been working to create these all new high-tech robotic servants which we like to call Servos. You see, they do virtually anything that is household related. Mowing the lawn, washing or vacuuming the floors, and perhaps even taking care of babies in some ways if we keep working hard enough at them," Baxter said with a bit of pride in his voice.

"My, that certainly sounds very interesting indeed," said Roscoe sounding immensely interested. "In fact, I think I would very much like to go to your work station and have a look at these worker robots in development."

Baxter thought on this for a moment and then said, "Well, alright. I suppose that would be okay for just a peek at the wonders of science."

So then the three of them headed out into the city and began to walk to Stockman Industries Building. Along the way Irma began telling Roscoe about the things that had happened with her while he was away. About the adventures in news reporting she had had with her friend April O'Neil. Then suddenly she was cut off when Roscoe suddenly stopped and exclaimed,

"Oh my gracious! Look at those astonishingly horrible freaks!"

He pointed far ahead of them and they saw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles out walking with April heading in the same direction that they were.

"Oh! Those are..." Irma started to explain but then Roscoe suddenly began running forward exclaiming,

"And they've got a young woman with them! Have no fear, miss, I'll save you!"

Roscoe charged at the Turtles and they stopped and stared at him in complete shock and puzzlement. Then he flung himself headlong into Raphael and knocked him to the ground where he began pounding away at him as hard as he could.

Baxter and Irma then recovered from their shock as did April and the other Turtles and they all rushed forward and began struggling to pull Raphael and Roscoe apart from each other.

"Roscoe! It's alright! I know them and they're April's friends!" Irma exclaimed as she pulled at Rose from the left.

Baxter pulled at Roscoe from the right just as Roscoe shot out his fist and it ended up ramming into Baxter's midsection and he then fell face forward onto the ground and his glasses slipped off of his face, rendering him nearly blind to his surroundings.

"Oh dear! Now I've lost my glasses! Where are they!" he exclaimed as he crawled on his knees on the ground trying to locate his glasses with his hands.

Irma then spotted Baxter's glasses in-between the two of them. She bent down to pick them up, and just as she touched them Baxter's hand rested upon them and so their hands ended up connecting with one another. They both blushed briefly. Then Irma gave Baxter his glasses.

"Thank you, Irma. That's much better," said Baxter as he straightened up.

Then April and the Turtles brought Raphael and Roscoe up to their feet once again as Irma began to scold him with exasperation.

"I was trying to tell you," she said. "These are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And I know they may look kinda freaky but they are not criminals, they are the city's heroes. They just saved our city and perhaps even the world from many evil villains."

Roscoe stared at the Turtles in astonishment and then a deeply embarrassed look came over his features. He looked down and said, "Oh dear. I'm so terribly sorry. I didn't know."

"Aw, that's alright. You couldn't have known since you're new around here," said Leonardo.

"Yes, I am," said Roscoe. "I am Irma's old... friend."

"We were just on our way to Stockman Industries to show Roscoe how the new Servos are being developed," said Irma.

"Why, so were we just now," said April. "Why don't we join each other on our way there?"

And so they did and they went the rest of the way to the Stockman Industries Building. Once they were there they were admitted inside where they took an elevator to a higher level and there they heard a lot of whirring and drilling and buzzing and other mechanical and sonar noises and saw many gadgets and gizmos and sprockets and many other parts of metal being assorted into large life sized figures that looked similar to human beings except they had much thicker limbs and wider torsos and smaller head that were shaped like cans with one eye.

"Welcome to my laboratory," said Baxter as he gestured toward everything."These are the Servos that are the closest to being completed up here," he said as he led them up to a further area of the long wide room they were in.

Just then another man who looked almost exactly the same as Baxter came up to them lifting a metal safety mask from his face. "Hello, Baxter, Irma, and April," he greeted. "And you too, Turtles. Who's this new guy?"

"This is Roscoe Rodman," said Irma. "He was interested in you and your brother's scientific work and so we thought we'd bring him over here to have a look."

"Ah, I see," said Barney. "How splendid. Well, come right this way. This I think is a just now completed Servo." He showed them a large robot standing alone in a corner.

"My, how fascinating it does look," said Roscoe. "What exactly does it do?"

"Well, if I have worked out all of the connections and wiring and such in it," said Barney, "I believe it is now fully programmed to do anything it is told with this remote control here." He took out of the pocket of his lab coat a large remote control similar to one used with a television set. "All I do is press a button on this and give it a command of something for it to do for me."

"Well, what does this thing do down here?" asked Roscoe as he slightly touched a tiny button on the Servo's left breast.

"Oh no, wait! That is the command to-"

He got no further unfortunately. As just then the Servo came to life and made whirring and clicking sounds from within itself and its hands turned themselves inside out and became two pairs of sharp gardening shears and it began clipping them at everything in sight all at once.

"To cut the hedge rows!" Barney finished his sentence too late. "Quick! Get out of the way!"

The group all quickly scurried out of the Servos way. However, Roscoe wasn't quite fast enough and the Servo unfortunately turned towards him just then and clipped at him from the lower part of his waist and took hold of his trousers with its hand shears and began shredding them to reveal his checkered boxer shorts underneath.

Barney recovered from his great shock after a moment and then rushed forward and pressed onto the tiny button on the Servo's right breast and it slowly stopped and froze stiffly in place once again.

"Oh dear. Oh dear me! I am so dreadfully sorry for this little mishap!" said Barney woefully as he observed Roscoe's tattered pants.

"No, don't be. It's my fault really," said Roscoe with his face red with embarrassment and his teeth gritted. "I should have been more careful. I'll just go home now and change."

"And I think I should stay here and help you sort out the little kinks in these Servos," Baxter said to Barney.

"I appreciate it, Bax," Barney said gratefully.

Then April, Irma, and the Turtles all headed back to their respective homes as well.

As Roscoe left the building while covering half of his lower section with a large sheet he narrowed his eyes and gnashed his teeth as he seethed under his breath, "You'll be sorry for this, Stockman! Irma will be mine again if it is the last thing I do!"


	3. Chapter 3

Baxter was at the Turtles place and helping Donatello fix their automatic pizza making machine which had broke down.

"Is it ready yet?" asked Michelangelo

"Almost," replied Baxter. "Just a few more adjustments." Baxter took a wrench and turned a few knobs and then said, "There! Now it should be working like brand new again."

So then Donatello pulled the lever in the machine's side and pressed a series of buttons. Then it began whirring and buzzing with activity like it had just been made like Baxter said it would.

"Alright!" exclaimed Michelangelo "Totally awesome, dudes!"

"Thanks a lot, Baxter," said Donatello. "I think you've made me a more skilled scientist than I was before. Would you like to stay over for some pizza?"

"Sure, I'd love to," replied Baxter.

So in a few minutes when the pizzas were done Baxter sat with the Turtles around their kitchen table.

"So, how are things going with you and Irma?" asked Leonardo.

Baxter swallowed slightly nervously and replied, "We're doing just fine, thank you."

"You really do like her a lot, don't you?" Leonardo asked further.

"Well... yes, I do," replied Baxter a tad uneasily. "I mean, she is a really nice woman."

"And does she like you, too?" asked Leonardo.

"I think so. I hope so," replied Baxter, uneasy at the questioning.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" Leonardo said suddenly forwardly.

Baxter coughed slightly and said, "Well, what makes you think so?"

"Aw, come on," said Leonardo, "You know April is a friend of ours and she is a friend of Irma's. She's told us all about how you two have been dating steadily for a while now and she also mentioned how dreamy-eyed Irma gets at the mention of you and that Irma says she hopes to stay in a relationship with you for as long as possible."

Baxter sighed as he knew it was pointless to deny it any longer. "Well, yes, I guess I am in love with her, in a manner of speaking."

"Do you want to marry her?" asked Michelangelo

Baxter looked at him shocked.

"Hey, Mikey!" said Leonardo scolding.

"Just asking is all," said Michelangelo defensively.

"Well," said Baxter after a moments thought. "I don't really know if I want to marry her because I'm not sure now if the married life is the life for me."

"But shouldn't people who love each other get married?" asked Michelangelo

"Well, I suppose so, usually," said Baxter.

"So why don't you just ask her and see what happens?" asked Michelangelo

"Well, first I have to tell her how I feel about her," said Baxter, "And I don't really know how to do that. I may be good in scientific terms, but I'm not really good in terms of love."

"Well, if you aren't sure how to put into words what you feel," said Donatello, "then you could always just write them down. Send her a love note or something."

"But I'd like her to know what a big place she has in my heart," said Baxter. "I don't think a simple note would do for the immensity of the passion I feel for her."

"Hmm..." Leonardo thought for a moment and then asked, "Does Irma like any sports?"

"She likes football," said Baxter. "Me and her watch it on TV when it's on."

"Well, there is your solution right there," said Leonardo. "You can take Irma to see a football game live and at halftime when the blimp flies overhead you can tell the managers to have it spell out the words Baxter loves Irma. Then she'll have to realize how big a place in your heart she has for you."

Baxter considered this for a moment. "Sounds like a good idea," he said at last. "I'll get to right to it first thing tomorrow."

So the very next day he called Irma and said, "Hello, Irma. I wanted to know if you would like to go to a football game with me this afternoon as I can get us tickets."

"Would I? I'd love to!" exclaimed Irma. Just then Baxter heard another voice faintly over the phone and after a few moments Irma spoke again. "Roscoe says he would like to come too and can you get a ticket for him as well."

"Well, sure, of course I can," said Baxter, thinking there couldn't possibly be any harm in having Roscoe accompany them especially since he was a friend of both of them.

"Great," said Irma. "We'll get ready."

Baxter then got ready himself. He purchased the three tickets and spoke to the managers of the stadium about what he wanted the blimp to spell out during half time and they agreed as this wasn't the first time they had received such a request.

Then Baxter picked up Irma and Roscoe and drove them to the football stadium where they sat up front and watched the game. Baxter noticed how really into the game Irma seemed to get as she was constantly cheering and whistling. Roscoe also seemed very excited at the game's action. Baxter himself though just sat and waited for half time to come so that the blimp would float overhead and Irma would look up at it and see how much he loved her.

Then when half time finally came Baxter became extremely nervous with anticipation as he looked up and saw the blimp begin to slowly float across the overhead. When the blimp was just about to reach the center of the stadium he was going to tell Irma to look up at it when quite suddenly Roscoe, who was sitting between them, stood up and held his arms up and waved them wildly up in the air while cheering and thus completely blocked Irma's view of the blimp the whole time it was spelling out Baxter's message to her.

Baxter was too stunned by the sudden turn of events to say or do anything at all. So he just sat in glum silence for the remainder of the game as Irma and Roscoe continued cheering. He was also mostly silent as he drove them back and was also very thoughtful as he knew he still wanted to tell Irma he loved her.

Then as he was leaving her and Roscoe at her apartment he asked, "Irma, how would you like to dine out with me tonight at the best Italian restaurant in all of New York?"

"I'd love to, Baxter," Irma replied.

"I'd like to come to," said Roscoe. "I am a die hard when it comes to Italian cuisine."

"Well... um... sure, you can come too," Baxter said a tad uneasily.

So then that evening the three of them went formally dressed to the Italian restaurant. They all ordered their own favorites and had a lighthearted conversation amongst themselves for a while. Then when they became silent Baxter began thinking about how he could tell Irma what was in his heart. Then, almost without thinking he slowly reached over and laid his hand gently over Irma's.

Irma looked up at him with a surprised and questioning look. Baxter could feel his knees begin to quiver and sweat begin to form around his neck.

"Irma," he said in a soft, hesitating voice, "There is something I'd like to tell you... I..."

He got no further however as it was just then that Roscoe knocked over the glass of fine wine beside him and most of it dripped off of the tablecloth and onto Irma's dress.

"Oh my goodness!" Roscoe exclaimed. "I'm so sorry! I'm so careless!"

"Here, let me help you with that," Baxter said as he started to get up to help Irma wipe off her dress.

Then he suddenly tripped and fell across the table and knocked it over, spilling everything that was on it it to the floor. Most of the people in the room turned to stare at them and a few of them gasped and some of them laughed.

"My goodness, Baxter, you need to be more careful with yourself," Roscoe said giving him a disapproving look.


	4. Chapter 4

Baxter and Irma had been so embarrassed by the incident in the restaurant they had decided to leave at once. Baxter felt especially upset about it and as they were driving back he was endlessly apologizing for the mishaps. Then as he said goodnight to Irma and Roscoe he did so one last time.

"I am so sorry for the terrible mishap," he said. "I would like very much to make it up to you in any way I can."

"Baxter, calm down," Irma said. "You don't have to apologize anymore, I know it was all just an accident. And I'm sure you'll be able to make up for it some day in the future."

"Well, do you still want to go to the museum to see the new exhibit tomorrow?" asked Baxter meekly.

"Of course I do," Irma assured him.

"I would very much like to go too and see the museum's new exhibit," said Roscoe.

"Well... of course you can come too," said Baxter with slight hesitation. "Well, I'll see you both then. Goodnight." And with that he left.

And so the next day Baxter, Irma, and Roscoe made their trip to the museum where they went up to the new exhibit. It was a large turquoise colored eye shaped pendant that was set beneath a large plaque that read, The Eye of Isis. Do Not Touch.

"This belonged to many great pharaohs of Egypt for many centuries," Baxter explained, "until it was somehow stolen when a pharaoh had been murdered and since then it was unseen and almost completely unheard of until just recently when it was dug up on an expedition to Cairo. It is said to hold much power in it, and that whoever touches it will either be brought extremely good luck or bad luck depending on who the person is."

"Really? Why, how very interesting," said Roscoe. He started to reach forward to touch the pendant.

Baxter at once snatched his hand away from it. "Don't you dare touch it!" he exclaimed. "I mean, if the plaque says not to touch it there must be a good reason for it."

"Aw, don't tell me you believe in all the superstitious nonsense associated with ancient relics," scoffed Roscoe.

"Well... no, of course I don't," Baxter said defensively. "It's just that I don't want to get into any trouble with the museum's staff."

"But remember it could bring good luck to someone who touches it if they are the right person for it. So I dare you to touch it and prove your self worthy of it," said Roscoe with a daring gleam in his eye.

"I... I wish I could... but... I can't... I really, really shouldn't," Baxter stammered helplessly.

"Then you must be unworthy of it," said Roscoe with a smug smirk. "But I bet I am worthy."

Then Roscoe reached towards the ancient Egyptian relic once again and once again Baxter reached out to stop him. Unfortunately he wasn't fast enough and as he caught Roscoe's hand he also caught onto the Pharaoh's pendant. Then all at once red lights started flashing around them and loud buzzing and beeping noises sounded alarm. Roscoe was so startled he let go of the pendant and it started to fall and Baxter quickly caught it.

It was just then that two museum guards arrived on the spot and for a moment Baxter didn't realize he was still holding the pendant and then he looked down and saw it in his hands and he began to tremble nervously.

"Alright, I'll take that now if you don't mind," said one of the museum guards angrily and pulled the Eye of Isis out of Baxter's hands.

"Thank goodness our new security system works," said the other museum guard, "or we might have had another theft here."

"But I wasn't trying to steal anything, I just caught it and," Baxter started to explain but was cut off by the guard.

"Shut up! You still touched it and now who knows what kind of disaster it will bring. But I do know you won't bring it here because you won't be coming back here again. Now get out of here!"

"But, I..." Baxter tried to explain again.

"Get out of here!" the guards said in unison, both of them pointing to the exit.

So Baxter, Irma, and Roscoe left the museum despondently.

"Well, now look at what you've done!" said Roscoe. "You never should have touched the Eye of Isis! Now it's gonna bring you extreme bad luck and it's already starting to."

"But I had to catch it," said Baxter. "And it was you who touched it in the first place you know."

"I know," said Roscoe with a satisfied smirk. "And now we know who is the more worthy of better luck."

Baxter opened his mouth to try to argue with Roscoe more, but then he closed it and sighed as he felt it would be a hopeless case to try to argue with him.

_Maybe he is right,_ Baxter thought to himself, _and maybe now I will have bad luck for touching the Eye of Isis. _Then he quickly told himself. _No, that can't be true. I am a scientist and I do not believe in any phony superstitions at all!_

Then when he got home that afternoon he began to wonder again about how he could possibly tell Irma how he felt about her. He somehow knew he couldn't do so with Roscoe around. He wasn't sure why but he had developed a sense of distrust for him. He thought and thought and finally he came up with an idea of what to do. He would make sure Irma was free to be alone with him some evening and he would take her to Central Park in the late hours when they would be sure to have complete privacy and then he would tell her his deepest and most honestest feelings for her, after making sure she could handle it of course.

He then thought about how he could make sure he could get Irma all to himself without Roscoe tagging along this time. Then he decided to call her just before she went to bed and to ask her then.


	5. Chapter 5

Irma was just about to get undressed for bed when suddenly she heard her phone ring. She picked it up and spoke into the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Irma, this is Baxter," Baxter said on the other end. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," Irma assured him.

Good. Would you care to come for a walk with me in Central Park now?" Baxter asked.

"Why now?" asked Irma.

Baxter hesitated for a moment. "Because I have something of utmost importance to tell you and it is very private so it must be where we can have our most privacy," he explained.

"Well, okay," said Irma.

"Good. I'll meet you there," Baxter said and hung up.

So then Irma met with Baxter at the gates of Central Park. He seemed to be trembling very slightly and she couldn't really tell if it was from the night air or from nervousness.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," he said. He held out his hand to her. "Shall we?"

She smiled and took his hand. He led her through the park's gates and they walked along together. For a while they were silent as Baxter contemplated once more about how exactly to profess his affections for her. After all he had never had any practice with any other woman.

"So... what did you want to talk about?" Irma asked him quite suddenly.

He suddenly became very focused and alert. "Huh? Oh, yes! Well, you see, I've just been thinking about us a lot lately. I think our relationship is very special, don't you?"

"Well, yes, I do," replied Irma.

"Now, I know you may think since I am a scientist I must know a lot of things, and while I do know a great deal of technical stuff like why the sky is blue and what makes trees grow tall and suchlike, there are still a great many things which I really do not know at all. And I may know how to build a high-tech Servo but I still don't know how to do a lot more things. And I'm afraid I just don't know how to explain why our relationship is the way it is, or what makes it the way it is for that matter."

"Baxter, what are you getting at?" Irma asked curiously.

"What I am trying to do is convey to you that I want our relationship to become something else for both of us," Baxter said, not sure if those were the right words to begin with.

"What do you mean, Baxter?" Irma asked uneasily. "Don't you like the way we are now?"

"Yes, of course I do," Baxter assured her quickly. "It's just that I feel it is time for a change in it. So, you see I..."

He stopped speaking suddenly as he was interrupted by the sound of shuffling and rustling in the nearby bushes. He looked around but he couldn't see too well in the darkness with only a few lampposts giving them light. Then he could have sworn he saw shadows running past them and felt a chill run down his spine.

"What's wrong, Baxter?" asked Irma.

"I... I get the feeling we're being watched somehow," he said, his voice quivering. "Maybe we should go back to your apartment."

They then started to walk back the way they had come. Then suddenly from out of nowhere they were surrounded by four men wearing black clothing and masks. One of them jumped out at Irma and grabbed her around her waist.

"Hey there little lady," said the thuggish man, "You got anything for us?"

"Unhand her at once you fiends!" Baxter exclaimed in outrage.

"Yeah, and who is gonna make us?" demanded the thug.

"I... I am!" Baxter said with as much strength as he could muster at the moment. "If you want her... you'll... you'll have to get past me first!" He held up two balled fists and extended them towards the men in black.

"Ha ha! I'd like to see puny little wimp of a nerd like you out beat us!" the thug laughed maliciously.

"But... I... I can still try!" Baxter said. He then rushed forward and rammed his right fist into the thug's chest. However his chest was quite harder and tougher than Baxter's fist and it pretty much just bounced off of it.

"Hey that hurt!" said the thug with a laugh. "Looks like you need to be taught better than that!"

And so saying all four thugs grabbed hold of Baxter and pushed him hard onto the ground and they all began kicking him in the face, stepping on his arms and legs, and punching him in any place they could get to. Baxter made a few feeble attempts to fight back but the four of them were all much bigger and stronger than he was and outmatched him.

Irma reached into her purse and took out the turtle-com the Turtles had given to her in the case of emergencies like this one. She pressed a button and the face of Leonardo appeared in the tiny screen.

"Irma, what's wrong?" asked Leonardo.

"Guys, you've got to get here quick! Some thugs attacked us in Central Park and now they're hurting Baxter," Irma said with utmost urgency.

"Hang in there. We're on our way," Leonardo said. Then the screen went blank again.

Irma looked back at the thugs who were still on top of Baxter. Then she heard him let out a cry of pain and agony and felt she couldn't take it anymore.

"Leave him alone!" Irma shouted as she rushed towards them and tried to pull one of them off of Baxter. However, he just punched her in her face and she fell to to the ground with her glasses knocked off. So she crawled on the ground on her hands and knees trying to find them as the thugs continued to pummel Baxter.

When she at last found her glasses she put them back on and looking up she saw the Turtles rushing onto the scene.

"Turtle Power!" the Ninja Turtles cried out as they leaped onto the thugs.

Then the Turtles performed their well-trained arts of ninjitsu and soon they had the thugs laying in an unconscious heap. Then they saw Baxter was also laying unconscious beside them and his clothes were completely disheveled and tattered in places and they could see he had quite a few bruises as well.

"Well, that takes care of them, and now we had better get Baxter here to the nearest hospital," said Leonardo seriously.

"You guys go on and I'll just take Irma back to her home," said Michelangelo


	6. Chapter 6

Baxter was in the hospital for three days and nights. He had many internal and external bruises all over his body. Though his physical injuries quite paled in comparison to his emotional scars from his ordeal. He had been trying to protect Irma and had only ended up getting himself beaten up. He wondered if she could ever forgive him for such weakness.

When he was at last able to leave the hospital and go back home he limped slightly as he entered his apartment. He found there was a letter on his coffee table addressed to him. He picked it up and read it.

_Dear Baxter,_

_I'm afraid after seeing your display of utter weakness when I was in danger I no longer wish to be in any sort of relationship with you ever again. I always preferred much stronger men than you. So never call me again in any way as I really, really never wish to see you again._

_Sincerely, Irma._

His eyes filled with tears as vice took hold of his heart and squeezed it painfully. He read the letter over and over again and again. He just couldn't understand it. Irma was leaving him!? Well, then again maybe he could understand it. After all she was quite right in that he had really showed utter weakness that night when he should have been able to protect her. That always was the problem with him was that he was never able to stand up for himself.

What a fool he had been! On that very night he was just about to confess his love for Irma to her and then he had instead ended up proving to her how completely unworthy he was to her. She was so right in not wanting to see him again as he felt that if she hadn't decided it he probably would have instead. But nonetheless his heart was still crushed and broken all the same.

He collapsed onto the floor and sobbed and sobbed until he had exhausted himself. Then he crawled up onto his couch and fell asleep.

It was a few hours later that he awakened to the sound of someone knocking on his door. He felt too depressed and weak with hurt to answer it though. Then after a few more knocks the door was opened by his brother Barney.

When Barney walked in he looked at Baxter and became extremely concerned. "Hey Bax," he said, "I heard you had just gotten out of the hospital today and so I thought I'd come here to check on you. What's wrong, bro? You look terrible, as if you've been crying your eyes out."

"Well, that is to be expected of me for being such a weakling, isn't it?" Baxter said miserably.

"What are you talking about, bro?" asked Barney.

"I'm talking about this," Baxter said as he handed Barney the note that he had found.

Barney took the note and read over it. Then he looked at Baxter with all of the love and sympathy that a twin brother could ever have for his twin.

"Now, I understand why you're so hurt, Bax," he said softly, "but I don't believe for a moment you're as weak as you think you are though."

"Then why was I not able to defend myself and Irma on that night?" asked Baxter.

Barney came over and sat down on the couch beside him and put his arm around his shoulders. "You mustn't blame yourself for that," he said kindly. "After all, those thugs were so much bigger and stronger than you and I. I bet if I had been in the same situation the outcome would not have been any different. But that wouldn't mean that I was a total weakling though. It would just mean I was outmatched in that particular situation."

"But Irma still seems to think I'm unworthy of her," Baxter sniffled. "So what can I do?"

Barney thought for a moment. "You still have many excellent abilities in you and I'm sure both you and Irma realize that. This is probably just a misunderstanding on her part that she made under stress. I suggest you go to her and talk things over. Tell her that there must be some way you can make it up to her in the future."

"I guess maybe I should have taken up learning martial ninja arts at the Turtles school after all," Baxter sighed.

"There is your answer right there," said Barney. "You can do just that, and perhaps Irma will take the lessons with you so that you may be on equal terms with each other as I believe you should be in this situation."

"Thanks, bro. You're the best," said Baxter. "I'll do just that."

"Any time, Bax," said Barney patting Baxter on the back. "Any time I'm here for you."

At the same time as this, April had come to visit Irma at her apartment. She found her friend was sitting forlornly on her couch and surrounded by used tissues and was holding a small piece of paper in her hands and tears seemed to be dripping onto it. April became very concerned as she had never seen her like this, not in ages.

"Irma, what happened? What's wrong?" April asked as she went over to her and sat down beside her.

Irma looked up at April with tears dripping down her face from underneath her glasses. "It's Baxter," she said in a heartbroken voice. "He sent this to me," she handed April the slightly moistened note. April read it.

_Dear Irma,_

_I cannot tell you how much I regret having to tell you this. But our relationship is over with. I had been going to tell you this for some time as I have been feeling very unworthy of you. I now feel more unworthy of you than ever as I feel I have let you down terribly. Please do not take this personally as it is only for the best. I hope you will just forget that there ever was anything between us at all._

_Sincerely, Baxter._

"He's left me, April!" Irma said beginning to cry hysterically all over again. "I thought for sure we had something of promise going on. But now I see he doesn't like me at all. I hope I never fall in love again!"

April reached over and put her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Now, now, I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding between you two and that it can be worked out. I can understand why Baxter might upset over what happened three nights ago as he took quite a beating when he was trying to protect you. I bet he feels just as bad about this note as you do, maybe even more. I also bet if you were to just go to him and tell him exactly how you feel about him and that he has nothing to be ashamed of he will come back to you."

Irma looked at her friend with hope beginning to shine through the tears in her eyes. "Do you really think so, April?"

"I'm positive," April confirmed.

"Then that's what I shall do," said Irma. "Thanks, April. You're the best."

"Any time, I'm here for you," April said.


	7. Chapter 7

Baxter got himself cleaned up and he practiced saying what he wanted to tell Irma in front of the mirror for a while and then he left his apartment to go to hers.

Meanwhile, Irma had just finished freshening herself up to go over to Baxter's. She started to walk towards the door when suddenly there was a knocking on it. She felt her heart skip a beat once as she wondered if it might be Baxter at the door and wanting them to get back together. She hurried to the door and opened it, and there she found Roscoe standing behind it grinning from ear to ear.

"Why, hello, Roscoe," she said as she tried to conceal her disappointment. "What a nice surprise to see you."

"It's even nicer to see you, Irma," said Roscoe still grinning. "I came to say I heard about what happened with you and Baxter and I am most sorry about it. I have to say though that he was a real jerk in dumping you."

"Oh, he didn't actually dump me," Irma said, "I think he was just ashamed of himself and felt like he had let me down. But he didn't really and I was just on my way to try to patch things up with him."

Roscoe abruptly stopped grinning. "But why would you want to go back to a nerd like that Stockman when you could have just about any other guy you'd want?"

"Baxter, for your information, is not a nerd," Irma said indignantly. "He is a brilliant minded scientist and inventor and if I can indeed have any guy I'd want then I want him and only him."

"But what about the more macho, more rugged, more handsome and daring guys out there," Roscoe pressed on. "Guys who are like... me!"

"Like you?" Irma repeated. "Well, Roscoe, I like you and all. But aren't we just friends now? I mean I realize a real relationship could never work out between us."

Roscoe glared at her. "You want to be my friend? The last thing I need is another friend!"

"Well, Roscoe, you can have any woman you'd want for you," Irma said nervously and taken aback by his sudden aggressiveness.

"That's right, I can. And I want you, and only you!" Roscoe said nearly shouting. "And I want you right now and right here!"

"Roscoe! What has gotten into you?" Irma asked in fright.

"Just shut up!" Roscoe commanded as he stepped forward and grabbed Irma by her shoulders and pulled her up to him. He then began to give open mouth kisses to her lips forcefully and when she didn't respond to them he stuck out his tongue and began trying to force it into her mouth. Irma squealed frantically in protest.

It was just then that Baxter arrived and he saw Roscoe holding Irma and kissing and was quite shocked. Especially when he realized Irma was struggling against him.

"Roscoe, what are you doing to Irma?" he demanded.

Roscoe abruptly stopped kissing Irma and turned around in shock at seeing Baxter there. "Stockman?! What are you doing here!"

"Baxter, help me!" Irma cried out to him desperately. "He's..."

Roscoe clamped his hand over Irma's mouth silencing her and then turned back to Baxter. "This is none of your business, Stockman. We are busy here. Now leave!"

"It looked to me like you were trying to take Irma against her will," Baxter said. "And I will not leave you to do so. If you want Irma you will have to get past me first."

"Ha ha!" Roscoe laughed sardonically. "A lot a wimp like you could do! You couldn't out beat those thugs three days ago so you'll have no match for me either!"

"I can still get the police to come here if you try to do anything to Irma," Baxter retorted.

"Look, Stockman, Irma doesn't want you, she wants me!" Roscoe shouted. "Didn't you read that note left for you?"

Baxter was stunned. "Hey, how did you know about the not?"

Before Baxter had time to think about that further Roscoe suddenly flung Irma to the side and she fell on the floor. Roscoe then lunged at Baxter and began punching him in every place he could reach. Baxter tried to swing a few punches back at Roscoe but they seemed to be having little if any affect at all. Then suddenly from out of nowhere Roscoe dealt Baxter a sharp blow to his forehead and suddenly everything went black and he passed out on the floor.

Roscoe then dragged Baxter to the closet and threw him in it and then locked the door behind him. He then turned his attention back to Irma.

"Now where were we?" he asked with a seductive air. "Oh yeah!"

Irma started to run for her door but Roscoe beat her to it and locked it. He then lunged for her once again and knocked her forcefully onto the couch and grabbed onto her breasts in painfully tight grip. Irma let out a loud scream.

Inside the closet, Baxter slowly began to regain consciousness. He sat up slowly and shook his head while rubbing at it. He then heard Irma screaming from behind the door and pleading for Roscoe to stop.

"Stop being a bitch and cooperate with me!" Roscoe ordered her.

Baxter could tell what was going on and he pushed hard at the door to try to open it. But it was locked to tightly and wouldn't budge. He thought quickly and then he took out his turtle-com and pressed the button for the Turtles. Within a second Leonardo's face appeared on the screen.

"Baxter? Where are you? What's wrong?" asked Leonardo noticing Baxter was surrounded by darkness.

"Leonardo," Baxter said in a low, anxious whisper, "I'm at Irma's. I'm locked in the closet. Roscoe is with Irma and I think he is trying to take advantage of her right now. You guys have got to get here as fast as you can."

"Right! We're on our way!" Leonardo said and then the screen went blank again.

Baxter put away the turtle-com Just then he heard Irma scream again, this time much harder. Then he heard the sound of clothing being torn off, and he was now sure of what was about to happen and he wouldn't allow it to happen. He just wouldn't. The Turtles were on their way but they might not be able to get here in time.

He pushed at the closet door again as hard as he could but to no avail. Then as Irma's screams and cries got louder and longer he began to feel his adrenaline building up and determination getting stronger. Then finally he stepped back and rushed at the door and rammed himself fully into it. It started to break free from its hinges. He did this again and again until at last it snapped completely off of its hinges and fell to the floor with a crash.

He saw Roscoe laying on top of Irma who was half undressed and bruised in places. Anger filled him fully to the brim and beyond and he charged forward at Roscoe and grabbed him and pulled him off of Irma, then pinned him against the wall and punched him in the nose. Then he lifted his foot and kicked him as hard as he could in a private area.

It was just then that the front door that had preciously been locked was flung open on its hinges and the Turtles leaped inside.

"We came as soon as we could," said Leonardo. "Are we in time?"

"Actually, it looks like Baxter has taken care of it himself," said Donatello pointing at the two of them.

"Good work, Baxter!" said Leonardo. "We'll take it up from here."

Then the Turtles took hold of Roscoe and carried him outside to be taken to the police.

Irma got up slowly and went trembling up to Baxter. "Baxter, you surprised me, in a good way I mean," she said.

"You know, I surprised myself," he admitted humbly. "I really never thought I had that kind of thing in me."

"If you hadn't come when you did I would have been taken against my will by the wrong man," Irma continued. "But why did you come in the first place? I thought you didn't want to see me anymore."

Baxter looked at her in puzzlement. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I thought you didn't want to see me again."

"Oh no! But you said you didn't want to in the note you left me," Irma said equally puzzled.

"What note?" asked Baxter. "I left no such note. You left me a note that said..."

He cut himself off suddenly as the realization of what had actually taken place began to dawn on him as well as Irma.

"Oh my Goodness!" Irma exclaimed as she put a hand to her mouth in shock. "Roscoe is even more of a dirty rat than I ever knew he could be!"

"Yes, indeed!" Baxter said heatedly. "But now I think it's safe to say we've seen the last of him."

Irma nodded then asked, "Baxter, what did you want to say to me that night before all the trouble started?"

Baxter swallowed and rubbed his neck as he blinked and looked away for a moment. Then he turned back to Irma and said simply, "I... just wanted to say... I love you, Irma."

Those were the easiest words he had ever had to say to anyone.

Irma smiled with relief. "Baxter, I love you, too. So much."

"It looks like I was afraid of nothing all along," Baxter said with equal relief.

"So was I," Irma said. "You won't ever leave me, will you Baxter?"

"I won't," he promised. "As long as you won't."

"I won't," she said.


End file.
